ernal appearance, but they
built their cottages strong and solid and, though unpretentious, they
were comfortable.

These little old houses, seemingly commonplace though they may be, hold
much more interest for the prospective house owner and the architect
than do the more elaborate ones of later periods. For wherever men have
utilized what skill and intelligence they have to satisfy definite needs
in the simplest, most straightforward way, they have achieved something
of lasting worth.

The ages of these old seacoast houses vary just as do those farther
inland. Some were built long before the Revolution and others at a much
more recent date. Some have fallen into hopeless decay, while others are
still stanch and habitable. The possible purchaser should make a careful
examination both inside and out before he decides to remodel. Sometimes,
from a superficial survey, an old house may appear sturdy enough to
warrant renovation, but a closer investigation will prove that this
would be an expensive business. For the old timbers often hold together
firmly because they have all settled together as a unit; if any one is
disturbed, the rest may be greatly weakened or even threaten to fall
apart, like the proverbial house of cards.

The first indication of dangerous weakness is a sagging roof. If the
lines are even a little concave, it is a bad sign, for the roof would
not have settled had the walls held absolutely true. Because of pressure
against them, they have been forced apart and perhaps are on the point
of tumbling down altogether. If the roof passes its test well, then
examine the line of the walls and be sure they are absolutely vertical
and have neither spread nor fallen inward.

Next study the condition of the timbers. The sill is the most important
one. If it is badly-decayed, all the other members resting upon it will
have been thereby weakened and the whole structure impaired. The upright
timbers and the studs will all have settled, and to straighten them will
mean practically the rebuilding of the house. The floors and the roof
which rest upon them will be endangered. Sometimes the ends of the
uprights have rotted, and the slightest new work about them will result
in their crumbling and undermining the beams and rafters they support.
It is often necessary to use a sharp iron or a long knife and pry
underneath the coverings on both the exterior and the interior to
determine their condition. A little attention g